This time last year, the game industry had no idea it was just weeks away learning about Microsoft’s landmark acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Since then, the journey of getting this deal approved across the globe has been slower than Microsoft would have hoped, with plenty of regions still undecided, including the FTC, the EU and UK regulatory bodies.
However that doesn’t seem to deter Microsoft, who’ve indicated in their initial proceedings with the FTC that it will still look to close the deal with the FTC’s stamp of approval, which would lead to a federal case between the two entities.
This doesn’t mean that its the route Microsoft wants to go, it just shows how far exactly Microsoft is willing to take things.
The FTC is currently only trying this case in its own internal courts, which means it would still require the support of the EU and UK’s regulatory bodies.
And that doesn’t seem likely, as Microsoft has already been in talks with both of those parties, and could likely be on the verge of securing their approval.
Microsoft even has a bit more time to do so, as the UK’s regulatory body, the CMA has announced it would delay its final decision deadline again, this time pushing it back to April 26, 2023 from its previous March 1, 2023 deadline.
While it may seem like the FTC is a dark storm cloud over the merger, its current offence seems to lack teeth. It’s much more likely that this deal will still go through, just with greater concessions from Microsoft.
If it does end up going to federal court, then that’ll be a whirlwind all its own.
Source – [Destin, via Windows Central]